Science.

EDISON'S FIRST INVENTION.

Edison, the famous American inventor, who has recently celebrated his sixty-ninth birthday takes a cheerful view of the future of humanity. "There will be no poverty in the world a hundred years hence," he once declared. "There is no limit to the cheapness with which things can be made, and the world will soon be flooded with the cheap products of machinery--not poor products, but cheap products. Why, then, should we expect poverty to continue? Poverty was for a world that used only its hands; now that men have begun to use their brains, poverty is decreasing."

The latest volume in "The True Stories of Great Americans " series is devoted to Mr. Edison, and contains many stories new and old of the great inventor. It may have been forgotten that the first patent of the great inventor was a vote-recording machine. Edison took a trip to Washington and showed the recorder to several Congressmen. One of the most prominent, after examining the machine closely, said to him: "Young man so far as I can tell, that's a mighty ingenious little instrument you've got there, and it seems to work well. You couldn't monkey with a thing like that if you wanted to. what is the trouble with it. If everything was on the square and no one was trying to put anything over, that machine would be a big help and save a lot of time. But it won't do."

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Naturally enough, Edison asked: "Why not?". "Because there has got to be a chance to filibuster and delay sometimes. Quite often a piece of bad legislation comes up unexpectedly, and if the men who wanted could railroad it through there would be no chance of setting things right again. That machine of yours is just about the last thing we want here. You've got the right idea for an ideal state; but this is not idealism, this is politics. Take the thing away."

"It broke me all up," said Edison, when he told the story afterwards; "because I knew the machine was a good one, and I'd counted on its bringing me in some money. But that was a good solid lesson to me. Right there and then I said to myself that I would never put in time trying to invent something that would not sell, or at least that was n't of general good to the community, and except for a few things, which just happened into my mind-scratches' I call them -I have pretty well kept the vow."

VALUE OF SCIENCE.

Sir Philip Magnus writing in the Times points out that the future developments of British trade and commerce, when the war is over, will depend very largely on the economic policy they should pursue and that if the industrial position is to be reconstructed or maintained, some well-considered changes must be made in their educational system. In fact, all that Sir Philip says regarding England is doubly true of any country as well. He says:

"The neglect of science in our schools and universities, especially in its application to trade and commerce, is one of the subjects which it is generally admitted should receive immediate attention. The representations of a large number of our most distinguished mer. of science cannot be ignored. It is mainly owing to that neglect that many important industries have been developed abroad, which might have taken root and prospered in this country. Other causes, which legislation can more easily remove, may have contributed to that result; but there is no doubt that we, in this country, have suffered losses, which should be now repaired, through our failure to appreciate the value of science in its application, not only to industry and commerce but equally to cther spheres of active work."

It is not a mere scientific culture that is needed. It is the application of science and especially of scientifie method to commerce and its varied operations that the Germans are ahead of other nations. But Sir Philip would not go in for a sculler's culture. Among the comprehensive scheme of reforms, Sir Philip points out :

"As regards the kind of training best adopted as a preparation for commercial pursuits, there can be no doubt that the study of modern languages should receive more attention than is now given to it in our secondary schools. If well taught, the study can be made to yield educational discipline nearly, if not quite, equal to that of Latin and Greek, and for business purposes the ability to read, write, and speak one or more foreign languages is indispensable. It may be that in many schools the time-table will admit of only one foreign language being taught, and, if So, that language unquestionably should be French; but where a second language can be added it should be Spanish, a knowledge of which is likely to become day by day more valuable in all wommercial operations. The teaching of German may well be postponed until the student has definitely decided as to his carreer, and should form an essential part of the University course of all students in the faculties of pure or applied science,”

Personal.

THE NEW GOVERNOR OF CEYLON.

His Excellency Sir John Anderson, G.C.M.G., K.C.B., the new Governor of Ceylon, has had a good record as a Colonial Governor and as a high official in Downing Street. As Governor of the Straits Settlements, and High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States, he has been an able and popular administrator. Besides, Sir John's thorough acquaintance with the conditions of Ceylon gained during the period he was Permanent Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies will now be of especial value in the governance of the island. There is certainly an advantage in having a Governor who comes with an open mind from the liberal atmosphere of political experience in England. Replying to the cordial address of welcome on his arrival at Colombo, His Excellency said:

Before I left England, I had the honour of waiting on the King, and His Majesty desired me to convey to his people in Ceylon that he entertained the most lively and pleasant recollections of his visit to this beautiful island and that he warmly recognised and appreciated the generous and loyal manner in which the people of Ceylon had acted during the present war and the generous and loyal assistance in men and money which they had given to the mother-country. I am glad to note in the addresses from the native headmen and from the LowCountry Products Association that the benefits which they derive from British rule are appreciated by them and that they desire an expression of their loyalty and appreciation should be conveyed to His Majesty. Ceylon has enjoyed more than 100 years of British rule and the fact that its inhabitants have come forward spontaneously and voluntarily with their assistance on this occasion proves that they recognise that their interests are at stake as much as the interests of the centre of the Empire and that assistance coming from a people who are not of our race and creed, is, I think, a I think also it shows great testimony to British rule. that our fellow-subjects of all races and creeds in Ceylon, recognise that the great issue at stake in the war is whether an individual is to have freedom to fashion his own career and to live his own life or whether he is to have his career fashioned for him after the pattern approved by the military bureaucracy, whether we are to continue to have equal justice as between man and man or whether we are to have it as it is practised among the Central Powers of Europe, one law for the ruling few and another law for the man.

Concluding His Excellency observed :—

I come among you with an open mind and will gladly welcome advice and criticism from any of you who are willing to work for the prosperity of Ceylon and the wellbeing of its people.

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AN INDIAN D. SC. IN ECONOMICS.

We take the following from India dated the 7th April:- "We are glad to learn that the University of London propose to confer the degree of Doctor of Science in Economics upon Mr. Pramathanath Bannerjea, whose Indian Economics has been so well received. His thesis for the doctrate was a work upon Public Administration in Ancient India, which will shortly be published." We congratulate Dr. Pramathanath Bannerjea on the distinction achieved by him. It has since been pointed out that Dr. Pramathanath Bannerjea is the first Indian who has received the degree of Doctor of Science in Economics from the London University.

MIRZA ABBAS ALI BEG, C.S.I.

We are glad to learn that Mirza Abbas Ali Beg, C.S.I., has been appointed Vice-President of the Secretary of State's Council for the present year. This, as India points, is the second time that the honour has fallen to an Indian, "for the precedent was worthily set by Sir Krishna Gupta during his term of office on the Council."

SIR ROBERT CHALMERS.

Sir Robert Chalmers has held as many appointments in a short time as Major Winston Churchill. From the Treasury Office he was sent out to be Governor of Ceylon. He had not held that office many months when he was recalled to assist the Government with its war finance, and he has now been appointed Under-Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in the room of Sir Matthew Nathan, who has resigned.

BOMBAY MUNICIPAL PRESIDENT.

Mr. Chunilal V. Mehta, who was elected President of the Bombay Municipal Corporation for the year 1916-17, in the first week of April, is probably the youngest President ever chosen by that Body. He represents large commercial and industrial interests in the city, for although he is a lawyer, having passed the LL.B. examination,, he has chosen to follow the mercantile pursuits with which his family has long been associated, He is a partner in the company of V. Atmaram & Co., and manages the Muffusil Cotton Co., at Broach. In the Municipal Corporation, observes our Bombay Contemporary, he is always for progress and was a great supporter of the scheme for the development of Mahim. In the sporting circles he is known as a successful captain of the Hindu cricket team, which he has often led with success.

Political.

IMPERIAL GRANTS.

Speaking at the close of the Budget debate in the United Provinces Legislative Council, Sir James Meston observed :—

Speaking in perfectly general terms I think that the time has come when the fixed assignments from the Imperial to the provincial exchequer should now be converted into a larger share of the growing revenue, that the time has come when we deserve, like other Provinces, to be given half of the receipts from our land revenue. Without breaking any confidence I may say that a strong representation to that effect was made from here to the Government of India some little time ago and it was courteously and sympathetically received. But we were told that during the present financial stress it was impossible to consider any readjustment between the imperial and provincial finance. We must bow to that decision and try again.

COMMISSIONS TO INDIANS IN THE ARMY.

The Statist, the well-known and influential English financial journal, is of opinion that while other Indian reforms may wait till the present war comes to an end, no time should be lost in giving Commissions to Indians in the Army. It pertinently remarks in this connection

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"The Princes and Nobles of India have tendered to their King-Emperor not only the resources in men and money of everything they possess but also have offered their personal services, and some amongst them have distinguished themselves already in the war. We, speaking individually, earnestly desire to see the number of Indian officers in the British service largely increased, and we do not hesitate to say that the quicker this is done the better it will be both for India and for England. There is nothing that makes a people loyal more certainly or more deservedly than the repose of full trust in that people by its Government. Moreover, it is not to be forgotten that national feeling is offended if a Government shows any signs of distrust in loyal subjects. . . . We earnestly urge upon the Government that it is their immediate and their urgent duty to give proof not merely to the Indian people themselves but to all the world that Indians can be trusted as fully and as safely as the people of the British Islands themselves,"

ALL-INDIA CONGRESS COMMITTEE.

The meetings of the All-India Congress Committee under the Chairmanship of the Hon'ble Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya were held at Allahabad on the 22nd, 23rd, and 24th April. A Resolution was passed expressing regret at the death of Mr. G. Subramania Iyer and of Dewan Bhadur Audinaranaiyah. The schemes of reform drawn up by Bengal, Bombay, and Madras Provincial Congress Committees were then discussed. It was resolved that the conclusions arrived at should be regarded as tentative and that they should be discussed with the Committee of the AllIndia Moslem League and considered at another meeting of the All-India Congress Committee. The Committee of the Moslem League are to be invited to confer with the All-India Congress Comittee at Calcutta in the last week of August. Meanwhile, the Resolutions passed during the last three days will be circulated among the members of the All-India Congress Committee and Provincial Congress Committees in order to enable them to express their opinions before the meeting to be held in August next.

BENGAL LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

In closing the Bengal Legislative Council on the 4th of April, H. E. Lord Carmichael made an important speech, in the course of which His Excellency pointed out the achievements of the Council since its inception :

I thank you almost sincerely, said His Excellency, for the help you have given me ever since January 1913, when we began to work together. You have helped me to pass 16 Acts and one Bill which is now with the Viceroy and which will become an Act as soon as it receives his assent. And I specially thank my non-official colleagues. You have shown much zeal. Among you, you have asked 736 questions. Your laudable desire for information was of real advantage to Government. It gave us an opportunity, which might otherwise not have had, of letting the public know what we have been doing in what we believe to be the public interest. You brought forward 76 resolutions. You were sufficiently satisfied with the attitude of Government to withdraw 48 of them without going to a vote; no fewer than 18 of your resolutions were accepted either in their original form or with some modification.

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General.

THE SURRENDER OF KUT.

After one hundred and forty-three days of heroic resistance and the efforts, though belated, of the relief expedition, General Townshend was compelled to surrender Kut, from sheer exhaustion of supplies but not until he had destroyed the guns and ammunition. What he and his brave troops, both British and Indian, have actually ex- . perienced and are now facing, must yet be made known. While the campaign in Mesopotamia is thus temporarily checked, and some nine thousand men are prisoners of the Turks, the relief columns are now available for other service. Moreover, the surrender is not likely to adversely affect the main issues of the war. On the other hand it will occasion more resolute and concerted effort of the Allies to achieve a just and final victory.

In connection with this the following message from His Majesty the King-Emperor to the General Officer commanding the Tigris Corps will be read with interest :—

"Although your brave troops have not had the satisfaction of relieving their beleagured comrades in Kut, they have, under the able leadership of yourself and subordinate commanders, fought with great gallantry and determination under most trying conditions. The achievement of relief was denied you by floods and bad weather, not by the enemy whom you have resolutely pressed back. I have watched your efforts with admiration and am satisfied that you have done all that was humanly possible and will continue to do so in future encounters with the enemy.

KING'S MESSAGE ON THE GALLIPOLI ANNIVERSARY.

On the occasion of the anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli, King George has sent the following message to the Governor-General of Australia and the Governor of New Zealand :-"Tell my people in Australia and New Zealand, to-day I join them in the solemn tribute to the heroes of Gallipoli. They gave their lives in a supreme cause in gallant comradeship with the rest of my soldiers and sailors who fought and died with them. Their valour and fortitude have shed a fresh lustre on the British arms. May those who mourn their loss find comfort in the conviction that they did not die in vain, but that their sacrifice has drawn our people more closely together and adds strength glory to the Empire."

WIDOWS' HOME AND ORPHANAGE.

At a recent meeting of certain leading Hindu gentlemen of Lahore held at Dr. Nihal Chand Sakri's house, under the Presidentship of Mr. Duni Chand, Barrister-at-Law and Municipal Commissioner, it was unanimously resolved to open a widows' home and orphanage for girls in the capital of the province. A sub-committee was forthwith appointed to draft rules and regulations for the management and control of the home for the approval of the General Committee.

MADRAS GOVERNOR'S BODY-GUARD.

The Madras Mail understands that His Excellency the Governor of Madras has offered to the Commander-in-Chief the services of the Madras Governor's body-guard for employment on active service at the front. In times past, e. g., in 1791-92 the war against Tippoo, in 1801 the campaign against the Poligars, 1803 in Persia, 1806 Central India, 1817 the Battle of Seetabuldee, 1813 in Persia, and 1879 the Rumpa rebellion, the Madras body-guard saw active service, and its fighting career is further illustrated by the honour Seetabuldee displayed on its colours. His Excellency believes that if an opportunity is given to the present Body-guard, now commanded by Captain W. S. E. Money, it will show itself worthy of the high traditions which are its inheritance.

POSITION OF ITALIANS IN INDIA.

With reference to a report current in the Press that all Italians up to the age of 39 have been called up to join the colours and had to leave India almost immediately, Signor Mangato, Italian Consul at Bombay, states:-"To my knowledge the position of Italian residerts living in the Bombay Presidency remains the same as that established by the Government notification of January this year, by which the return home by December 1, 1916, is ordered of all Italians in this Presidency, who were rejected in the 1892, 1893, and 1894 classes, but have been, by renewed medical examination, considered fit for service. The same notification rules that all recruits of the 1896 class are also to proceed home by that date."

THE INDUSTRIES COMMISSION.

We are pleased to learn that Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya has been appointed a member of the Royal Commission on Indian Industries. Pandit Madan Mohan is the people's man and can faithfully interpret the mind of his countrymen. That is his chief title for a seat on the Commission,